Remote control mechanism



Oct. 25, 1932. E. J. YALLEN I 1,884,401

REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 22. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

I I ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 25, 1932.

E. 4, VALLEN REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 22, 19 28 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 25, 1932 UNiTED STATES EARL .1. VALLEN, or A-KaoN, OHIO REMOTE CONTROL MECHANISM Application filed May 22,

The present invention relates particularly to the operation of curtains, eitherot the ver tically or horizontally moving type, garage or auditorium doors and similar devices in which the curtain .or door is movable by electrical .motors of the reversible-type. The object of the invention is to improve upon the starting mechanism by means of which the switch governing the operation and move- :ment of the motorispositively and accurately controlled.

Advantages and objects of the invention .will be understood from the detailed descriptionof the apparatus and its method of operation. One of the particular objects of the invention is to provide a more positive operating mechanism for the switch and to prevent aceidents in the movement of the curtain. The device comprises a rotating switch which is controlled by a single push or snap button, the mechanism providing for full and complete control over the mechanismby the operation of a single switch. The apparatus also includes apositive circuit opening device operable by the position of the moving parts so that the curtain or door can not go past its normal limits in either direction.

lVhile the device is shown and described in considerable detail so that all ofthe parts of the mechanism will be clearly understood, it is not the intention to limit the invention to exact conformity with the details as illustrated, variations and modifications being permissible within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. It will also be understood that the invention may be applied to other arts and purposes within the scope thereof.

In the. drawings:

Figure 1 is a general assembly of the complete curtain operating mechanism including the curtain moving devices and the switch mechanism;

Figure 2.is atop plan view of Figure 3 is a front-elevation;

:Figure 4 is a section 011 the line 4.4 of Figure 3';

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of :Figure ,4;

.Figure 6is a section on.the line 6.6 of

the switch 1928. =Seria1 No. 279,781.

Figure 5, showing the way in whichthe safety device operates to prevent accidental reversing of the curtain before the mechanical stopping devices can be brought into action and Figure 7 paratus.

The operating mechanism complete is mounted upon a substantially L-shaped base 1, upon one portion of which is mounted a housing 2 for the motor to drive the curtain. Upon the other portion ofthe base is secured a pan 3 inwhich ismounted thezbracket 4 for supporting-the switch or control mechanism for the motor.

A. motor is indicatedat 6, the shaftffof the motor having a worm 8 which drives aavorm gear 9 on the curtain operating shaft 10. The shaft extends through the housingandat one side thereof supports a pulley 1 1 which is driven through a springclutch 12, actuated by spring 13, so that ifthe curtain sticks or iams in its travel, the motor Will be saved. Double pulleys 15 are mountedabove the pulley 11, being supported upon astub shaft 16 in the upper end of an arm 18 extending is a wiring diagram for the apupwardly from the housing. The curtain operatingcable 19 is trained over thepulleys as isunderstood by those skilledinthis art.

The shaft 10 'is provided with a WormQO which operates .a small worm gear 21,011 a rotating turningshaft 22. This shaft isprovided with .two adjustabledogs 23 and 24.- which are designedto wipea gainst the inside of a curved shoe 2.5 on the upper end of a lever 26 which maybe yieldingly held to the right by aitension spring 28 and which is pivoted on the housing at 27. The dogs are .adjusted at the proper positions about the slowly rotatingshaftr-22;to throw the switch automatically atthelimits eithecurtailrmovement, as willbe described inthat portion otthe speeificationrelating tothe SVVltCh. 95

The current to the .motor .is delivered through the wiring system. in Figure 7 from the main lines 30, the direction'ofithemotor being determined by thev position ota rotating switch indicated at 32. This switch .com-

posed of a drum of insulating material havmg a pair of contact bars 33 secured to the face of the drum, each bar comprising long arms 34 and short arms 35 placed on diametrically opposed points on the drum and connected by bridge pieces 36, the long and short arms of each bar being placed in opposition to one another. The several zones of the switch are separated by flanges or rings 38 and on each side of the switch are mounted spring brushes 40 arranged in groups of three, as shown in Figures 2 and 7, to make the required circuits for operatin the motor in reverse directions, as shown y the wiring diagram.

- The drum switch has periods of movement of 90 so that the brushes make and break the required circuits, the motor being successively started, stopped, started in reverse direction and stopped, as the drum is rotated, the brushes resting against the side of the drum when the motor is not running.

The drum is designed to be operated, step by step, by two mechanisms, by the operative or by the positive throw-off actuated by either the dog 23 or 24. The mechanism for actuating the drum under control of the operator is operated by a push button 42 placed at a convenient point for the operator, additional push buttons being provided at convenient points about the stage, if desired. The push button 42 opens and closes the auxiliary circuit 43 from the main line to a solenoid or magnet 45 which is secured to the bracket 4 adjacent the drum switch. The core or armature for the solenoid is indicated at 46 and is pivoted at its lower end to a link 48 which is in turn pivoted to a swinging arm 49 ex tending from a hub 50 which is rotatable about the axis of transverse shaft 51 on which the drum switch is mounted, the shaft being secured at its ends in the bracket 4.

From the hub 50 extends a second arm 52 from which depends a pawl 53 moved inwardly by the spring 54. The pawl 53 engages a four-toothed ratchet disk 55, each tooth of the rachet corresponding to a point of rest of the drum switch. The ratchet disk is secured to a sleeve 56 rotatable upon the shaft 51 and extending through the hub 50, being provided upon its outer end with a 180 double spiral cam face 58. This cam face on gages andmates with a similar cam face 59 on a sleeve 60 slidable on the shaft 51, but prevented from rotation thereon by pin 61 which is passed through the shaft and projects through opposed slots 62 in the sleeve.

The sleeve 60 carries a fixed ratchet 65 and is normally held in mating relation with the sleeve 56 by a coil spring 66 which surrounds the sleeve 60 and bears against the pin 61 and against the side of the fourtoothed ratchet 65.

Secured to the base of the bracket 4 is a U-shaped guiding plate 70, one arm of which is provided with an inturned lug 71 which lies in the path of the teeth on the ratchet 65 when the ratchet is moved to the right as viewed in Figure 3. When, however, the sleeve 56 is rotated through the solenoid and ratchet, the rotation of the cam face 58 over the cam face 59 forces the sleeve 60 outwardly until the ratchet tooth clears the lug 71, whereupon the shaft 51 can rotate.

The drum switch is connected to the shaft by a transverse pin 75 which also secures a sleeve 76, the end of which projects beyond the drum and is connected to one end of a coil spring 77, the other end of which is connected to the ratchet 55.

The operation of the mechanism which has been described may be briefly summarized. When the solenoid is energized, the core 46 is elevated which, through the pawl 53, moves the ratchet 55. The movement of the ratchet will wind up the spring 77 and at the same time force the sleeve 60 outwardly. Energy will be stored in the spring until the ratchet 65 clears the lug 71, whereupon the force in the spring will throw the switch drum a quarter revolution, being stopped by the engagement of the next ratchet tooth on the ratchet 65 with the lug 71 and the parts will reassume their normal position. The contact brushes have been moved to their next position either in or out of contact with the conductor bars. By momentarily closing the circuit, the operator controls the movement of the curtain, stopping or starting it at will. Upon a single operation of the push button 42, the curtain can be in turn started, stopped or started in reverse direction. If the operator wishes to move the curtain in the same direction after stopping, three rapid operations of the push button will give the desired result.

In order to prevent backward movement of the drum switch, a spring-actuated pawl 80 is mounted in the path of the ratchet 55.

In order to connect the switch with the mechanical or positive stop at the limits of the curtain movement by the dogs 23 and 24, means are provided to move the drum switch to off position. In order to accomplish this result, the lower end of the lever 26 is pivoted to a horizontal push bar 82, the outer end of which is yieldingly held upwardly by a spring 83 and is slidable in notches 84 in the plate 70. The movement of the push bar is limited by pins 85 which contact with the vertical walls of the guiding plate. In that portion of the push bar within the guiding plate is located a notch 86 which registers with a two toothed ratchet 88 secured to the sleeve 56. When either dog 23 or 24 wipes against the shoe, the push bar is moved outwardly and the wall of the notch 86 engages one of the teeth of the ratchet 88 to move it to the dotted line position of Figure 6, thus actuating the drum switch in the same manner the switch is operated by the solenoid to stop the motor and thus the movement of the curtain. It will be apparent that only two teeth are needed on this ratchet as the kickoif operated by the dogs is operative only while the curtain is moving. When the motor is stopped the dog which has moved the lever 26 and the push bar 82 to throw the drum switch will still be engaged with the shoe 25, thus holding the lever 26 and the push bar 82 to the left against the action of the tension spring 28. At this time, the thicker portion of the push bar is beneath the ratchet and in contact with the rounding portion thereof as seen by the dotted line position of Figure 6. In this position the switch can be thrown one step only by the solenoid to the full line position of Figure 6. It cannot be given a seo- 0nd movement by the solenoid until the oper ating dog passes back oil the shoe which allows the spring 28'to pull the bar 82 back to the position of Figure 4. This is for the reason that the upper side of the push bar is in the path of the ratchet 88 so that it engages the flat side of the bar after the movement to the full line position.

In this manner one of the dogs 23 or 24, shoe 25, lever 26 and bar 82 act to automatically stop the motor and the curtain at the end of its travel in either direction. As above described the solenoid 45 can at this time only be operated once which tumbles the drum switch and reverses the motor and the direction of travel of the curtain and which moves the operating dog back off the shoe 25 to allow the bar 82 to resume its normal position, at which time the solenoid 45 can again be operated as desired to stop, start or reverse the travel of the curtain. As soon, however, as one of the dogs engages with the cam shoe 25 to move the push bar 82 to throw the drum switch and stop the motor, the solenoid can only be operated once which reverses the motor as will be understood. This mechanism insures that the curtain will always be stopped at the end of its travel in either direction regardless of the acts of the op erator.

It will be observed that a highly eflicient and practicable curtain operating mechanism has been devised which will operate satisfactorily at all times and cannot get out of order. The action of the rotating switch is positive and effective. There is no possibility of the switch occupying an intermediate or inoperative position and the mechanical or positive kick off insures against injury to the curtain through inexperienced curtain operators. The operator can control the curtain in its opening or closing movements, and secure any movement desired with a single push button. In the claims where a curtain operating mechanism is referred to, it will be understood that the term is not necessarily limited to theatre or auditorium curtains, but

doors :or partitions are intended to be included. It will also be understood that the term solenoid is intended to cover ma 'netic moving means :of all kinds which may be substituted 'for the solenoid shown and described.

Vhat is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for co-ntrollinga reversible motor, comprising .a switch, :and aneans for movingthe switch 'to on or off position comprising a solenoid, a circuit breaking mecha nism adapted to be operatedat a predetermined limit of the movement of a mechanism operated by the motor and means to prevent operation of the switch by the solenoid to actuate said mechanism in :the direction in which it moves to said limit until the circuit breaking mechanism is restored to its normal position.

:2. A mechanism for controlling a reversible motor, comprising a rotating switch, and means for moving the switch through a portion of its rotation comprising a solenoid, connections from the solenoid to the switch, a circuit breaking mechanism also operable upon the switch and adapted to be controlled by mechanism operated by the motor at limits of movement of said mechanism, and means to prevent operation of the switch by the solenoid so as not to actuate said mecha- U nisms beyond said limits until the circuit breaking mechanism is restored to its normal position.

3. A mechanism for controlling a motor, said mechanism including a drum switch, a solenoid, a ratchet mechanism operable by the solenoid, a stop device actuated by the limit of movement of mechanism operated by the motor, and connections from the stop device to the drum switch, said connections including a detent to prevent premature operation of the switch by the solenoid.

4. A mechanism for controlling a motor, comprising a drum switch, said drum switch having on and oif positions, a solenoid and ratchet mechanism to move the drum switch to on and off positions successively, a mechanical device to move the drum switch to off position only, and means operated by the mechanical device to prevent movement of the drum by the solenoid to off position.

5. A mechanism for controlling a motor and a device actuated thereby, comprising a drum switch, said drum switch having on and off positions, a solenoid and ratchet mechanism to move the drum switch to on and off positions successively, a mechanical device to move the drum switch to oii position only, and means operated by the mechanical device to prevent movement of the drum by the solenoid to oil position, said last means being operative only at a period near a limit of movement of the device actuated by said motor.

6. In a device for controlling a motor, a

drum switch, tWo ratchets rotatable with respect to the drum, a spring connected to the drum and adapted to be placed under tension by movement of the ratchets, a detent to hold the drum until the spring is placed under tension, means to release the detent at the end of movement of the ratchets, and independent mechanisms to operate the ratchets, one of said mechanisms being electrically controlled and the other mechanically controlled.

7 In a device for controlling a motor, mechanism operated thereby, a drum switch, two ratchets rotatable with respect to the drum, a spring connected to the drum and adapted to be placed under tension by movement of the ratchets, a detent to hold the drum until the spring is placed under tension, means to release the detent at the end of movement of the ratchets, and independent mechanism to operate the ratchets, one of said mechanisms being controlled by the operator at will and the other controlled positively by limitations of the mechanism operated by the motor.

EARL J. VALLEN. 

